₦airaland Forum

Obi Cubana (Obinna Iyiegbu) and Cubana Chief Priest (Pascal Chibuike Ikechukwu) have been in the news recently, attracting intense public scrutiny. The criticism directed at them has been particularly harsh. Many commentators on social media appear to have unanimously concluded that they are traitors. This is a reaction largely rooted in the high esteem in which they are held and the unrealistic expectations people place on public figures.

A social media influencer, Isaac Fayose, exemplifies this tendency through the fallacy of hasty generalisation and unwarranted assumptions, using them as case studies. He claims that Igbos are easily bought and largely “for sale,” arguing that Obi Cubana, Chief Priest, and their associates could have used their influence to secure clemency for Nnamdi Kanu, who is currently imprisoned in Sokoto State. Surprisingly, many people of Igbo extraction appear to agree with him, and the backlash against this narrative has been unexpectedly mild.

While everyone is entitled to their opinions, public figures inevitably attract scrutiny. Their actions and inactions, are always dissected. This is the downside of fame.

The real issue, however, lies deeper. Nigerians tend to place excessive expectations on certain individuals. We do this with celebrities, political figures, and even religious leaders. Many assume these figures possess moral authority or extraordinary courage, forgetting that they are, first and foremost, human beings. Like most people, they operate by the instinct of self-preservation. Altruism is learned; survival is innate. When stakes are high, people often revert to their default setting: self-interest.

Obi Cubana and Cubana Chief Priest are businessmen with unclear sources of wealth. It is therefore reasonable to assume that they approach life primarily from a business perspective. Their decisions are likely driven less by public interest and more by personal risk calculation. They seek fame, relevance, and proximity to power. While Obi Cubana maintains a more refined and warm public persona, the Chief Priest adopts a louder, more flamboyant style. His approach to fame is unapologetically brash — from public alignments with celebrities to political commentary and recurring social controversies. This is a personality trait, not a crime. Social media simply amplifies such differences, forcing everyone into the same public space regardless of personal preference.

A closer look at Nigeria’s influencer culture reveals a troubling pattern. Many influencers possess little intellectual substance and offer limited value to their audiences. Their platforms often revolve around clout, hype, and future commercial exploitation. Followers elevate them to god-like status, only to feel betrayed when inevitable self-serving decisions are made. In truth, most influencers are conducting strategic risk assessments, choosing paths that maximise reward and minimise exposure.

Political realism further explains this behaviour. Nigeria’s political environment is harsh, unforgiving, and deeply entrenched. Meaningful national transformation remains unlikely in the foreseeable future. What exists instead are narrow windows of opportunity for personal advancement. Those who recognise this reality position themselves strategically. The City Boys understand this. So does Reno Omokri. This was why he shamefully made a U-turn and followed President Bola Tinubu.

Much of the public advocacy for national development often functions as performative activism, designed to mobilise emotions while masking private interests.

Given the political landscape, challenging the current administration carries enormous risks. Criticising President Bola Tinubu openly could invite intense scrutiny from state institutions, particularly anti-graft agencies like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC and the Department of State Security, DSS. For businessmen whose wealth invites curiosity, silence becomes a survival strategy. Those who speak out frequently face intimidation, legal battles, or prolonged harassment. Omoyele Sowore’s endless court appearances, Nasir El-Rufai’s political uncertainty, and Abubakar Malami’s legal troubles illustrate the price of political opposition. Not everyone possesses the threshold for such hardship and self-preservation often prevails. If Chief Priest had the pain threshold, he wouldn’t be that sizeable in the first place.

Democracy demands that we respect personal political choices, whether we agree with them or not. At the ballot box, Obi Cubana and Chief Priest wield no more power than any ordinary citizen. The influence we attribute to them may be exaggerated, magnified by social media illusions rather than real political impact.

Furthermore, the heavily publicised City Boy Movement appears more symbolic than substantive. A seasoned political strategist like Tinubu is unlikely to rely on such theatrics. Electoral victories are secured through institutional control, particularly of bodies like Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, not influencer culture. The City Boys, at best, generate content, engagement, and public distraction. No substance, no message, all noise like the ghetto songs.

Obi Cubana and Cubana Chief Priest are businessmen with unclear sources of wealth.

oluwaseunamos33:
just becos dey are supporting Tinubu

uche87:
https://www.facebook.com/thevillagetowncrier/posts/pfbid02vRnh33apQiZkpxTxs7EEP8MWeq9r36FzWzmkpQKGQX52baNq3kzCzHsdYS3d1kx8l

heniford2:
There down fall has started

lordm:
It's Peter Obi supporters o. If you don't support Thier candidates, they will start insulting you

osuofia2:
To them, no Igbo man or woman must support Tinubu, it must be only Obi, if the tides are turned and let's say each tribe should only support his kinsman, can obi win the president?
Last election, Obi won Lagos and got some votes in some SW state, he won the SE state almost 100%. Does it make sense that Only obi won the state east state. Peter Obi has been jumping from one political party to another like ashawoooooo, no obidients have the guts to critise him.
I like as Cubana Chief no seed any body papa,

[/quote][quote author=osuofia2 post=138466812]To them, no Igbo man or woman must support Tinubu, it must be only Obi, if the tides are turned and let's say each tribe should only support his kinsman, can obi win the president?
Last election, Obi won Lagos and got some votes in some SW state, he won the SE state almost 100%. Does it make sense that Only obi won the state east state. Peter Obi has been jumping from one political party to another like ashawoooooo, no obidients have the guts to critise him.
I like as Cubana Chief no seed any body papa,

Ishilove:
This... Add E-Money to the list.

twilliamx:
You that has never been up is wishing downfall on someone else because of using his God give right.
Must they follow HOEBI? They will rise 10x more and u will keep looking up @ them

happney65:
Yes,they will start insulting you and calling for deaths

Yeah